A.1. Steak Sauce ‘Breaks Up’ with Its Brand and Gets a #PRWin

I have shared this with many people in the advertising and PR industries:

“Advertising and PR intersect all the time without either industry knowing it. Ads establish position. PR creates perception.”

We need to work together. You know? Like “We are the World,” only without all that mushy singing and fighting world hunger stuff. That said, when a brand or an agency has figured out how to do both, it’s a golden day.

A.1. Steak Sauce did just that via Facebook of all places, and it was glorious in the world of social media, PR, and whatever the hell they put in that hazy brown elixir of yumminess.

So what did Kraft Foods’ product of yesteryear do? It “broke up” with steak. Yes, as in “A.1. its-complicated Steak Sauce.” Kraft dropped ‘steak’ from its name and did it in a wonderful way.

“Eating habits have undergone a big transformation and A.1. is changing with them,” said Cindy Halvorsen, Brand Manager, A.1. Sauce, Kraft Foods. “Our fans are saucing a variety of foods besides steak, so we wanted the brand name and campaign to reflect our wide-ranging appeal.”

Get that? “Wide-ranging appeal.” Why? It’s like with gluten and Celiac Disease — 20 years ago, everyone ate gluten. Today, there are about 13 people alive who can eat a bagel. Likewise, the NPD Group tells everyone that beef consumption isn’t doing so great while chicken consumption is doing so much better. Why? Consumers are more aware of red meat’s effects on a diet.

Child please! I’m a Texan. I eat meat on my meat. However, this was brilliant. By removing ‘steak’, A.1. is saying, “Hey chicken eaters, mind if we like you too?”